The Working Tests that we all enjoy competing in are organised by the ‘Gundog Clubs’ Working Test Secretary with help from other members of the Clubs Committee and a whole lot of willing volunteers. It all starts the year before because dates have to be set so that local Clubs don’t clash with each other and also to arrange for a suitable ‘Ground’ to be used and make sure that the date is acceptable to the Land Owner. Judges have to be contacted and ‘booked’ for the day so that their names can listed when the Yearbook comes out in the New Year. Sounds like a logistical nightmare – but it happens every Year with apparent ease.
Those involved will meet at the ground the week before and spend a lot of time walking round the place considering different possibilities. Bear in mind that every Test should include a variety of ‘marks; ‘blinds’; ‘walk up’ or ‘drive’; ‘single dummies’, or ‘doubles’, Some grounds offer the use of water and/or a jump. Other alternatives are over a ditch or through a gap in a hedge etc. The natural feature of the land may lend itself to a Test going through woodland and out into an open field, or into a space where the dog is not visible to the Handler. Sometimes the lay of the land lends itself to a mark or blind when there is a ‘barrier’ (fallen trees, brambles, nettles, boggy ground) in the direct line which sends the dogs to either right or left, causing the dog to be handled back on course to the dummy. On the Day of the Test itself, a lot will depend on the wind direction and the strength of the scent. They who set the Tests cannot be held responsible for the vagaries of nature, but the resulting score sheet should tell its own story !
And did you realise that it is not the judges who set the Tests ? The judges, along with the ‘Helpers’, arrive on the day of the Test a lot earlier than the competitors because they have to be walked around to have the Tests explained to them. The judges job is to judge what they see on the day and of course that depends on wind direction and scent etc.
Once the Tests are decided upon, consideration has to be made about which spot to gather the competitors where they will not be able to see the Test until their turn. We are not finished yet. The organisers need enough willing volunteers to throw dummies for each of the Tests. They need Stewards to take each group round to each Test and make sure that they are ready for the judge in their turn. They need to make sure that each Test has enough dummies to go through several competitors before having to replenish and that those who need a starting pistol have enough blanks for however many entries. The organisers do like to take round hot coffee and snacks to the judges, stewards and dummy throwers at some point in the morning to keep them awake, so they have to organise helpers for that, and they are ever alert during the entire day to make sure that things are running smoothly and no judge is kept ‘hanging around’ with nothing to do. It doesn’t always run smoothly and sometimes ‘executive decisions’ have to be made on the spur of the moment – it does help to have walkie talkies these days !!!
On the day before (or very early on the morning) the organisers and helpers will need to put up loads of signs for the Test areas and parking and exercise areas etc. Dummies and dummy bags have to be counted out and allocated to each Test, starting pistols have to be checked and given to the right helpers. All the Stewards need clipboards, pens and up to date lists of competitors.
As if that’s not enough, the organisers are collecting scores throughout the day, and rallying ever more willing helpers to allocate raffle prizes, compile Judges and helpers lunches, make sure the trophy’s, rosettes and judges ‘thank you’ presents are ready and that someone has got the kettle on the boil for the end of day cup of tea and cake. It’s a last minute panic to add up the final scores, organise a ‘run off’ if needed, and make sure the judges have signed the Award Cards.
Well, aren’t we competitors all happy. The weather was pleasant. The judges were nice and so were the Tests. The Winner and all those in the awards plus the rest of us are quickly tootling off home well pleased with ourselves. And who is left to ‘CLEAR UP ? The ORGANISERS of course !!!!! It’s a very special job guys – can’t appreciate you enough !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Those involved will meet at the ground the week before and spend a lot of time walking round the place considering different possibilities. Bear in mind that every Test should include a variety of ‘marks; ‘blinds’; ‘walk up’ or ‘drive’; ‘single dummies’, or ‘doubles’, Some grounds offer the use of water and/or a jump. Other alternatives are over a ditch or through a gap in a hedge etc. The natural feature of the land may lend itself to a Test going through woodland and out into an open field, or into a space where the dog is not visible to the Handler. Sometimes the lay of the land lends itself to a mark or blind when there is a ‘barrier’ (fallen trees, brambles, nettles, boggy ground) in the direct line which sends the dogs to either right or left, causing the dog to be handled back on course to the dummy. On the Day of the Test itself, a lot will depend on the wind direction and the strength of the scent. They who set the Tests cannot be held responsible for the vagaries of nature, but the resulting score sheet should tell its own story !
And did you realise that it is not the judges who set the Tests ? The judges, along with the ‘Helpers’, arrive on the day of the Test a lot earlier than the competitors because they have to be walked around to have the Tests explained to them. The judges job is to judge what they see on the day and of course that depends on wind direction and scent etc.
Once the Tests are decided upon, consideration has to be made about which spot to gather the competitors where they will not be able to see the Test until their turn. We are not finished yet. The organisers need enough willing volunteers to throw dummies for each of the Tests. They need Stewards to take each group round to each Test and make sure that they are ready for the judge in their turn. They need to make sure that each Test has enough dummies to go through several competitors before having to replenish and that those who need a starting pistol have enough blanks for however many entries. The organisers do like to take round hot coffee and snacks to the judges, stewards and dummy throwers at some point in the morning to keep them awake, so they have to organise helpers for that, and they are ever alert during the entire day to make sure that things are running smoothly and no judge is kept ‘hanging around’ with nothing to do. It doesn’t always run smoothly and sometimes ‘executive decisions’ have to be made on the spur of the moment – it does help to have walkie talkies these days !!!
On the day before (or very early on the morning) the organisers and helpers will need to put up loads of signs for the Test areas and parking and exercise areas etc. Dummies and dummy bags have to be counted out and allocated to each Test, starting pistols have to be checked and given to the right helpers. All the Stewards need clipboards, pens and up to date lists of competitors.
As if that’s not enough, the organisers are collecting scores throughout the day, and rallying ever more willing helpers to allocate raffle prizes, compile Judges and helpers lunches, make sure the trophy’s, rosettes and judges ‘thank you’ presents are ready and that someone has got the kettle on the boil for the end of day cup of tea and cake. It’s a last minute panic to add up the final scores, organise a ‘run off’ if needed, and make sure the judges have signed the Award Cards.
Well, aren’t we competitors all happy. The weather was pleasant. The judges were nice and so were the Tests. The Winner and all those in the awards plus the rest of us are quickly tootling off home well pleased with ourselves. And who is left to ‘CLEAR UP ? The ORGANISERS of course !!!!! It’s a very special job guys – can’t appreciate you enough !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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